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I handled an M1A1 a few years ago at the Royal Armouries and it was a sizeable thing, weighty too - I liked it though. Everyone always says they're awkward to shoulder but I found it quite ergonomic. In the same session, I held a second pattern FG42, that was years ahead of it's time in concept and construction

I've fired a couple M1A1's over in the USA, and as you say, not awkward to shoulder at all, and a hoot to shoot

I would so love to have a go at a FG42.....as you say, way ahead of its time, as was the MP43/44.

I sold all my de-acts years ago, but I just couldn't bare to part with the two '28's, as one is a nicely original British issue 1942 AO prefix A1 with smooth barrel and L sight, and the other is a early 1941 made pre-Lend Lease with finned barrel and Lyman sight, but it doesn't have any British marks or US mil ones, so it could be a very rare Bridgeport address Savage Commercial Thompson that was bought by a US Police force in the early 40's, as these were all identical to and made in the same batches as the British ordered guns.

I've been collecting bayonets over the years to go onto my SOWR milsurps. I didn't realise when I started just how many don't fit properly. Some do but the ones that don't generally don't mount onto the rifle at all. The Mosin-Nagant, K98 and M1 bayonets fit into this category. The K31 bayonet on the other hand is really loose so much so that I wouldn't want to shoot with it on. I was surprised that the M4 bayonet fitted as I'd read that civvie M4s didn't have the appropriate lugs on them but it fits like a dream.

Anyway, this is my collection.

At the back is bayonet for the Mosin NagantThe K98, K31 and SA80 ones are down the leftOn the right are bayones for the No4 (the pig sticker type), M1, L1 SLR (still with packaging from Donnington) and M4.

I think that they are all genuine, the only ones that might possibly be replicas are the M1 and M4 bayonets but I don't really know what I'm looking for to determine if they are or not.

My prized possession is the bayonet right at the front. It's not strictly a bayonet as you can't mount it on a rifle. It is a firemans dress bayonet for ceremonial use and it is a war souvenir brought back from the war by my grandfather and then passed down to me. Apparently, he also had a huge german eagle that you would see over a door frame but my grandma made him throw it away as it scared my dad when he was a kid. Oh well.

It's a good job that I got these out to show you as it looks like something was growing on the firemans bayonet. Caught it in time so hopefully good for another 75 years.

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_________________The above post probably contains sarcasm or some other form of attempted wit, please don't take it to heart.

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